Dirigible headlight for locomotives



G. H. ANTHONY.

'DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. I921.

Patented July 4, 1922.

l/ ////////////I///// /j//////// I 51 vwgwioz w *z- WW GEORGE H ANTHONY, O1 SYKESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J lily 4, 1922.

Application filed October 1, 1921. Serial No. 504,730.

T 0 all whom it may (once/-91:

Be it known that l, Uuonon H. ANTHONY;

a citizen of the lfnited States, residing at Sykesville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dirigible Headlights for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to headlights for locomotives and has for its object the provision of a headlight which will 'be turned automatically as the locomotive rounds curves whereby the light will always be thrown directly upon the track.

An important object is the provision of a dirigible headlight of the pendulum type in which advantage is taken of the fact that the outer rail of the railroad track is higher at a curve than the inner rail.

Another object is the provision of aheadlight in which is provided a pivotally mounted reflector carrying the lamp supporting means, this supporting means being engaged by a freely swingable pendulum.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in construction and installa tion, highly efficient in use, positive in action, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

.Vith the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a headlight constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section;

Figure l is a horizontal section; and

Figure 5 is a diagram of the lamp connections.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown the headlight as comprising a suitable casing 10 mounted upon the locomotive in the usual manner and covered at its front by a suitable glass pane or lens 11. The forward portions of the opposite sides of the casing 10 are also preferably provided with glass panes 12 which are here shown as being segments of a circle and the purpose of these side panes is to provide emission of light during the dirigible action to be described.

Located within the casing 10 is a reflector 13 upon the rear side of which are riveted, otherwise secured, vertically spaced arms 15 rotatably mounted upon a vertical rod or shaft 16 which extends between the top and bottom of the casing. Displacement of the arms l t longitudinally .of the rod 16 is prevented by stop collars 17 carried by the latter. In this way it will be seen that the reflector is freely swingable upon a vertical axis.

Secured to the inside or front of the reflector at the lower portion thereof, as by means of rivets or the like, is a cage or frame 18 within which is disposed a pendulum ball 19 suspended from a flexible member 20' which is supported from a ring 21 or the like at the top of the casing 10. The ball 19 fits fairly snugly within the frame or cage 18 so as to prevent lost motion.

It is of course apparent that any suitable light source may be employed though inactual practice 1 prefer-to make use of a pair electric light sockets 22 which are suitably mounted upon the frame 18 and which carry incandescent bulbs 23 of suitable candle power. These bulbs may be connected in series or parallel as preferred and are also of toursc connected with any suitable source of current and it is not believed that specific details of the connection is essential to a proper understanding of the present invention though for the purpose of illustration I have shown the sockets 22 as connected with wires 2etand 25 leading to a suitable source of current diagramatically illustrated at 26, a cut off switch 27 being interposed in the circuit.

Assuming that my device has been constructed and assembled as above described, it is of course apparent that when the locomotive rounds a curveand consequently tilts inwardly of the curve on account of the outer rail of the track being higher, the pendulum ball 19 will swing correspond ingly and as this ball is confined within the cage or frame 18 it is apparent that the reflector 13 will swing likewise so that the light therefrom will always be thrown upon the rails regardless of whatever curvature there may be in the track. After the locomotive has passed beyond the curved porwhich are provided with apertured heads tion of the track it is of course apparent that the pendulum ball will swing back into its initial. position returning the reflector to normal straight ahead position. The provision of the side panes 12 in the headlight casing permits the light to be thrown with out any interference even when there is a comparatively abrupt curve traveled over.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and easily installed dirigible headlight for locomotives in which ample provision is made "for causing the light to be thrown. continually upon the track regardless of whether it be straight or curved. Owing to the fact that there are only two moving parts, the pendulum and the reflector it is apparent that there practically no danger of derangement of the mechanism so that the device should consequently have an extremely long life and efficiently perform all the functions for which it is intended with a maximum degree of satisfaction.

lVhile I have shown and desiirribed the preferred embodiment oil. the invention, it is of course to be readily understood. that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, constructionand arra-ngen'ient of parts as will not depart from the spirit oi. the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A. dirigible headlight for locomotives comprising a easing arefleetor pivotally mounted therein -tor swinging movement on a vertical axis, a srupporting frame carried by and extending forwardly within the re flector, and a pendulum supported, from. the top of the casing and having its Weight confined within said frame. A

2. A dirigihle headlight for locomotives comprising a casing having its front and a portion of its sides provided with glass panes. a vertical rod located. within the rear portion of the casing a reflector provided at its rear surface with arms rev oluhly engaged upon said rod, a forwardly extending frame located within the lower portion of the reflector illuminating means within the reflector, and a pendulum sup ported from the top of the casing and having its weight confined. Within said frame.

3. A dirigihle headlight "for locomotives comprising a casing, a reflector pivotally mounted therein for swinging movement on a vertical axis. a supporting frame carried by and. extending forwardly within, the-reflector, a pendulunrsupported from the top of the casing andha'ving its weight con lined within said frame, electric light sockets carried by said frame and upstanding therefrom, and incandescentbulbs engaged within said sockets and connected in circuit with a source of current and a control GEORGE H. ANTHONY. 

